Military and commercial computing, communication and navigation products often require high speed encryption and decryption of data. The Programmable Cryptography Processor (PCP) architecture has been developed by Rockwell Collins to address the security needs of several military products. The PCP provides a fully configurable, non-classified encryption core that supports a variety of legacy and modern algorithms.
Future systems using modern algorithms may have throughput requirements much greater than the current capabilities of the PCP design. In addition, continuing advances in algorithmic complexity and security levy strong requirements on the development of next-generation encryption hardware development. For example, future Satellite Communications (SATCOM), >2 GHz Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), and Global Information Grid applications may require at least a 10× increase in throughput within the next several years.
While the PCP is able to meet current data rate requirements, it may be unable to process the data rates required of future products. Thus, it is desirable to provide a new approach to flexible, reconfigurable encryption in order to meet the future needs.